DESTINATION INFORMATION

SABAIDEE WELCOME TO LAOS!

Laos, officially known as ’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), is an incredible destination rich in history, traditions, diverse landscapes and cultures, Laos captivates the inner explorer, urging them to journey further and deeper into the ‘unknown’. From the rolling mountains of the north to the river islands of the south, the country embraces with its uniquely laidback lifestyle and the heartfelt generosity of its people. Cultural attractions such as temples can be found throughout the country, and amazing fauna, including elephants and the largest spider in the world, are in abundance. The people are genuine and welcoming, and although they don’t hold a strong level of English, their continuous smiles are universally contagious. As the least visited country in Indochina, Laos offers a plethora of off-the-beaten-track adventures!

TRAVEL GEOGRAPHY FAST FACTS Laos is a landlocked country and shares borders with Thailand, , (formerly Burma), , and China. The majority of its western border is controlled by the river, which runs from the OFFICIAL NAME far north of the country, from China, along Myanmar and Thailand, and Lao People’s Democratic Republic down into Cambodia in the south. From the mountainous north, to the (Lao PDR) plains of the south, there are numerous sites of natural beauty, coupled with cultural heritage that dates back to the 14th century. For travelers CAPITAL CITY bound by time constraints, flights are available between all major destinations. For those with a bit more time, driving through the country BOUNDARIES offers many scenic views, and a shift in landscape, as the Mekong River widens towards the south. Myanmar, Cambodia, China, Thailand and Vietnam CURRENCY (US Dollar and Thai Baht PEOPLE accepted) OFFICIAL LANGUAGE Laos The ethnicities of Laos are split between the lowland, midland, and highland peoples. The Lao are some of the most genuine and authentic POPULATION people one can meet in Asia. With an incredibly relaxed demeanor, they 6.9 million tend to take life as it comes, and enjoy discussing the culinary possibilities TOTAL AREA of the day. They also take great delight in celebrating weddings and other festivals, and will welcomingly invite any passers-by to join them with 236,800 km2 celebratory cheers of their local whiskey, Lao Lao. Traveling through Laos, you are guaranteed to meet unpretentious people who view life and work from a very different perspective than we are used to in the West.

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It would be our pleasure to provide you with information that covered every corner of Laos, but we’d need to write a book! Therefore, here we have decided to cover the most important and developed destinations in the country; if you wish to receive details on one of the other beautiful destinations in Laos, please contact our office in Vientiane (the capital of Laos).

LUANG PRABANG

Luang Prabang is located in northern Laos and is of Sulinya’s grandsons set up an independent kingdom in quickly becoming a tourism and commercial center. Luang Luang Prabang, which competed with kingdoms in Prabang town is the ancient royal capital of Laos and is a Vientiane and Champasak. From then on, the Luang beautiful, quiet city bordered by green hills. The town is Prabang monarchy was so weak that it was forced to pay surrounded by the Mekong and Khan rivers, and the tribute at various times to the Siamese, Burmese and famous Mount Phousi is located at its center, next to the old Vietnamese. royal palace. Luang Prabang has been declared a After a particularly destructive 1887 attack by the Black UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the wats (a type of Flag (a splinter remnant of a bandit group known as the Buddhist temple or Hindu temple), streets, and historical Chinese Haw, who fought against the invading French in buildings in the town have been preserved and carefully northern Vietnam but returned to banditry after the army upgraded over time. was disbanded in 1885), the Luang Prabang kingdom The area also has a rich history. The first Lao Kingdom, chose to accept French protection, and a French Lane Xang, was consolidated in Luang Prabang in 1353 by commissariat was established in the royal capital. The the Khmer-supported conqueror . At that time the French allowed Laos to retain the Luang Prabang city was known as Muang Sawa. In 1357 the name was monarchy, and so did the fledgling independent changed to Muang Xieng Thong (Gold City District), but governments that followed. It wasn’t until the Pathet Lao sometime after King Fa Ngum accepted a Sinhalese took over in 1975 that the monarchy was finally dissolved. Buddha image called Pha Bang (large holy image) as a gift The majority of the people living in the province are from the Khmer monarchy, the city-state became known as farmers, except for those involved in commercial activities Luang (Great or Royal) Prabang. in Luang Prabang town. Although the town had developed Luang Prabang remained the capital of Lane Xang until an insular, subsistence economy in the past, this has King Phothisarat moved the administrative seat to Vientiane changed greatly with improved transportation and tourism in 1545. However, throughout the Lane Xang period, Luang growth in the area. Prabang was still considered the main source of Since the tourism sector of Luang Prabang has grown a monarchical power. When the Kingdom of Lane Xang broke lot, there are now many hotels and guesthouses to choose up following the death of King Sulinyavongsa in 1694, one from.

Page 3 LAOS DESTINATION INFORMATION VIENTIANE

Vientiane is one of the oldest Lao cities, and was Chanthabuli and into Muang Saisettha, is Lane Xang settled almost a thousand years ago. Although at times it road, Vientiane’s widest street. Thadeua road leads to the was an independent kingdom, Vientiane has also been Friendship Bridge and the Thai border. controlled by the Vietnamese, Thai, Burmese and Khmer Key landmarks in Vientiane are Paduxay, the triumphal at different times in its history. The city became the capital arch, and , which translates to “great of the Lane Xang Kingdom in the mid-16th century, and golden stupa” (a stupa being a dome-shaped Buddhist has remained the capital ever since. shrine). Although there are no major parks in the city, For a capital city, Vientiane is remarkably quiet and there are several sports fields (including the national laid-back compared to other Southeast Asian cities, and stadium) and many of the streets are lined with large only becomes crowded during festivals. The city’s trees. All government ministries are located in Vientiane, downtown area is located near the Mekong River. The as are UN country offices, embassies, and over eighty architecture in Vientiane is a mix of Lao, Chinese and international NGO (non-government organization) offices. western-style buildings, and there are many wats A wide variety of services and amenities are available scattered throughout the town. The main streets in the in Vientiane, including numerous restaurants, hotels and downtown district are Samsenthai road, which is the guesthouses, bars and nightclubs. There are several prominent shopping area; road, where large markets in town, including the Morning Market, several temples are located; and Fa Ngum road, which Khua Din Market, Tong Khan Kham Market and the night runs along the river and is lined with eucalyptus, pipal and market or walking street next to the banks of the Mekong teak trees. Branching off to the northeast, out of Muang River.

CHAMPASAK

Champasak Province is one of the main political, cultural accommodations in the South. The Bolaven Plateau is a and economic centers of southern Laos. This province 1-hour drive East from and is famous for spectacular boasts many historical sites, some from the pre-Angkor waterfalls, trekking and world-class coffee plantations. period (that is, pre AD 802). The capital of this province is The 4000 islands are a 3-hour drive South from Pakse Pakse, located at the confluence of the Mekong and Xe Don near the Cambodian border. The 4000 Islands are a unique rivers. Pakse is developing fast economically; to an extent river archipelago where the Mekong River spreads to its this is thanks to close connections and trade with Thailand widest breadth, over 16 km wide. An estimated 4000 islands and Vietnam. There are beautiful mountains, forests and protrude from the Mekong River before the rainy season, waterfalls in Champasak, some of which are easy to access about half of which submerge over the course of the summer from Pakse. Boat trips, trekking, cycling and fishing are months, while the river is in flood. Don Khong, , and common leisure activities; it’s a great location for those who are the main islands to visit. One can travel by love outdoor adventures! boat to the mighty Liphi waterfalls, which is also known as has four main destinations: Pakse, the Devil’s Corridor. Visitors can also kayak down to the Champasak Town (or Meaung Champasak), the Bolaven border of Cambodia and if you’re lucky, spot the Plateau and the 4000 Islands (or ). Pakse is endangered Irrawaddy freshwater dolphins. There are considered the gateway to Southern Laos as it is the main numerous French colonial sights to behold, such as the transportation hub. The city has many quality hotel and railway, as well as ancient Khmer ruins. For a local restaurant options. Champasak Town is a 45-minute drive experience, the villagers are very accommodating and enjoy South from Pakse and is most famous for Vat Phou, sharing a good drink and food. a UNESO world heritage site that of Khmer origin that predates Angkor Wat. The town boasts the best luxury

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SARAVANE DISTRICT

Saravane is located in southern Laos and is home to part km2 adjacent to the Mekong River in the western part of the of the fertile Bolavens Plateau. The area has a strong province. The opposite bank is protected by Thailand’s Pha agricultural base, supporting coffee, tea, cardamom and Taem National Park; both sides are characterized by rubber plantations. exposed sandstone ridges and outcroppings, some of which The Xe Xet River features several waterfalls that are contain rock shelters with prehistoric paintings. These ridges popular leisure destinations. Several Mon-Khmer groups live are interspersed with scrub and mixed monsoon deciduous in Saravane, including the Tahoy, Lavai, Katang, Alak, Laven, forest. Rare animals thought to inhabit this area include Ngai, Tong, Pako, Kanay, Katu and Kado. Saravane boasts elephant, gaur (Indian bison), banteng (species of wild an impressive 51% natural forest cover and the Phu Xieng cattle), douc langur (primate), gibbon (primate), Asiatic Thong National Biodiversity Conservation Area covers 995 black bear, clouded leopard, tiger and Siamese crocodile.

KHAMMOUANE

Khammouane Province is located in central Laos, in an area of moderately high mountains sloping down to the Mekong valley. The fertile land here is well suited to plantations of rice, cabbage, sugar cane, and bananas. The population is diverse and consists of Lao, Chinese, Vietnamese, Phuan, Tahoy, Kri, Katang, Maling and Hmong people. Thakhek, the capital city, is a well-preserved small town, and in Thailand is just across the Mekong from Thakhek. The province is home to Khammouane Limestone National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA), a huge wilderness area (1580 km2) of turquoise streams, monsoon forests and striking karst topography (stone formations created from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum). Although much of the NBCA is inaccessible by road, the local people have nonetheless managed to reduce key forest-dependent species to very small numbers through hunting, mining and logging. The area is home to the endangered douc langur, François’s langur and several other primate species. Forest – including extensive stands of wet and dry evergreen, old growth pine, cypress and riverside forest – covers an estimated 93% of the area, making it an incredibly important habitat for the country’s wildlife heritage. Over a dozen threatened species live in the area, including elephants (one of the country’s largest herds), giant muntjacs (a type of small deer), gaurs, bantengs, Asiatic black bears, Malayan sun bears, clouded leopards, tigers and the saola (Vu Quang ox), a type of antelope unknown to scientists before its discovery in 1992 in Vietnam’s neighboring Vu Quang Nature Reserve. The saola has since also been sighted on Laos’ Nakai plateau.

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This rugged province is wedged between Luang Prabang to the east, Phongsaly to the northeast, Luang Namtha to the northwest and Sayaboury to the south, with a small northern section that shares a border with China’s Yunnan Province. Most of the provincial population of 212,015 is a mixture of some twenty-three ethnic minorities; mainly Hmong, Akha, Mien, Phu Thai, Thai Dam, Thai Khao, Thai Lu, Thai Neua, Phuan, Khamu, Lamet, Lao Huay and Yunnanese Chinese (Haw). The Yunnanese presence has intensified with the influx of Chinese skilled laborers working in construction, as well as trades people from Kunming, the capital of Yunnan.

Because Oudomxay has a reasonably good road system, and because there is a constant flow of tourists traveling from Yunnan through Oudomxay to Thailand and Laos, the province has been opening up and developing rapidly. However, some rural villages are extremely remote and remain inaccessible by road.

The capital of Oudomxay is most commonly called Muang Xai, though some maps label it Oudomxay. Located in a valley at the base of the surrounding mountain range, Muang Xai has been growing steadily, and modern guesthouses now dot the main street. The large market in the center of town attracts people from all around the province, and a wide variety of Chinese and Vietnamese products are sold there.

XIENG KHOUANG

Xieng Khouang is situated in northeastern Laos, bordered by Houaphanh to the north, Bolikhamsay to the south, Vietnam to the east and Luang Prabang to the west. The province features high, green mountains, rugged karst formations, and fertile valleys. However, Xieng Khouang is one of the northern provinces that was most devastated by the Vietnam/American war. Virtually every town and village in the province was bombed at some point between 1964 and 1973. It has also been the site of numerous ground battles fought over the last 150 years.

The province’s population is mostly comprised of people of lowland Lao, Vietnamese, Thai Dam, Hmong and Phuan ethnicity. The original capital, Xieng Khouang, was almost totally bombed, so the capital was moved to Phonsavanh after 1975. Near Phonsavanh is the Plain of Jars. The high altitude in central Xieng Khouang, including Phonsavanh and the Plain of Jars, means the province has a temperate climate – not too hot in the hot season, not too cold in the cool season and not too wet in the rainy season. Phonesavanh, Xieng Khouang’s new capital, grew tremendously in the 1990s; there are now several paved streets lined with shops, a sprinkling of new concrete structures, two markets, a few government buildings, a bank and several modest hotels and guesthouses.

Traditionally, the area surrounding Phonsavanh and the former capital of Xieng Khouang has been a center of Phuan language and culture (part of the Thai-Kadai family, like Lao, Siamese and Thai languages). The local Vietnamese (and to a lesser extent, Chinese) presence continues to increase.

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INSIDER’S PICK

“In Laos, clients can travel around in comfortable and luxurious tuk tuks that were designed by Khiri. The tuk tuks are being used for city tours and airport transfers in Luang Prabang, and for city tours to Angkor Wat and around Siem Reap. Small lanes in town and around temples can be traveled, and clients can quickly get off and on the tuk tuks to snap pictures or take part in any event along the way. Riding a well-appointed tuk tuk through exotic surroundings is one of the simple pleasures of a holiday in the Mekong area. It’s not just about getting from ‘A’ to ‘B’; it’s about enjoying your holiday in vintage style!”

KHIRI TRAVEL LAOS

No. 130, Unit 8, Saphangmor Village Xaysethat District Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR

T +856 (0) 21 453 840

[email protected] khiri.com

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